A rural hamlet in Madhya Pradesh reported a case of six minor girls being stripped naked by the locals believing that by doing so it will being rains and help the villagers in their farming.
Superstitions, and local practices as well as believes have for a very long time undermining the crime against women and minor girls that remain hidden from the mainstream.
According to beliefs, young girls are made to walk naked with a wooden shaft resting on their shoulders with a frog tied to it. Women accompanying these girls sing bhajans to praise the rain God.
The items collected had to be donated to a 'bhandara' (community kitchen) that was set up in front of the village temple. It was ‘mandatory’ for all the villagers to be present there.
The villagers believe that this ‘ritual’ brings ample rain to the village and staves off drought.
Taking cognisance of the case, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has sought a report from the Damoh district administration about this incident which occurred on Sunday at Baniya village under the Jabera police station area, about 50 km from the Damoh district headquarter, in the Bundelkhand region.
Many villages across India continue to follow their age old customs that rely on augmenting actions or activities that are in a way against women rights. Most of the customs are based on 'harming' the girls or women so as to bring prosperity in their community.
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